St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office deputies are searching for a man they say kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman. Rodolfo Aguiar-Estrada, 54, of Metairie, is wanted on charges of second-degree battery, oral sexual battery and second-degree kidnapping.

Rodolfo Aguiar-Estrada

At about 1:31 a.m. on Thursday, St. John deputies responded to the Ruddock exit of Interstate 55 for a report of a woman requesting help from a passerby. The 37-year-old Metairie woman told deputies she was in Kenner when a man driving a dark Chevrolet pickup truck asked if she needed a ride. She accepted his offer, she told authorities, but became concerned when he did not drive to where she had asked to go.

The woman asked to be let out of the truck, but the driver refused and continued driving to the Ruddock exit. The woman managed to escape when the driver stopped at an intersection, said Capt. Dane Clement, Sheriff's Office spokesman.

The woman said the driver hit her, fondled her and forced her to engage in sexual acts, according to authorities.

The woman was transported to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace, where she was treated for minor injuries to her hands and face and released.

As a result of the investigation, detectives developed Aguiar-Estrada as a suspect and put his photograph in a six-man photographic lineup. The woman identified Aguiar-Estrada and detectives obtained an arrest warrant.

Clement said deputies attempted to locate Aguiar-Estrada on Thursday without success. Detectives are asking anyone knowing the whereabouts of Aguiar-Estrada to call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or the St. John Sheriff's Office at 985.652.6338.